Care Ministry

Trauma-InformedCare Ministry

Our Mission

To create a safe and confidential environment at Capital Baptist Church that is free of judgment; where peoplewho have experienced trauma can find the support and resources they need to move beyond their circumstances.

We will incorporate a trauma-informed approach, always with a focus on our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is the sourceof our strength and hope.

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

What is Trauma-Informed Care at CBC?

The primary meaning of the word Trauma (from the Greek) is “wound”. Many of us have been wounded by verbal,physical, sexual, and other kinds of abuse, neglect, death & loss of loved ones, accidents, injury & illness, divorce,war, natural disaster, or a myriad of other experiences.

Traumatic experiences and the wounds they have left upon our lives may have caused symptoms like flashbacks,unpredictable emotions, strained relationships; even physical symptoms like headaches, panic attacks, and nausea.For some of us, our trauma represents spiritual or religious violations that negatively impacted our relationship withGod.

As trauma survivors, we try to make sense of our painful experiences, incorporating the meaning into our currentworldview in ways that might be helpful, but could also turn out to be harmful. Our goal as a faith-based, traumainformedcare ministry is to help others find understanding, forgiveness, and peace, as it has been promised to us inthe Bible.

Our Guiding Principles

As it has been adapted from the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to fit within thecontext of church ministry, the concept of a trauma-informed approach would mean that “a program, organization,or system that is trauma-informed”:

• Realizes the widespread impact of trauma and provides practical ministry interventions as well as support forongoing mental health interventions.

• Recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in the children, youth, men, and women it ministers to, as well asthe effects that living with a traumatized individual has on all relationships – marriage, family, work, and social.

• Responds to the needs within its worshipping community and the needs of its neighbors by fully integratingknowledge about trauma into church and ministry policies, procedures, and practices.

• Seeks to actively resist re-traumatization that can occur when appropriate recognition and intervention is not wedwith compassion and a commitment to stabilizing relationships and supportive structures that destigmatizemental health issues.

How Can I Get Help?

Do you, or someone you know, need to speak to a trusted member of our Care Ministry for biblical counsel, oremotional support?

Do you need help finding professional mental health or other services?

Do you need a friend to help you navigate access to resources or other support?